Ten years ago, on 6th April 1994, one of the most dreadful campaigns of mass murder was unleashed upon the Tutsi people of Rwanda. In just 100 days, more people had been slaughtered with machetes and clubs than had died from atomic weapons in all of history.

Hotel Rwanda is an important and carefully crafted film well worth seeing. Set in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, during the genocide of April and May 1994 Hotel Rwanda is a sensitively made film. Unlike many Hollywood films it is neither gory nor distasteful. This film focuses on the incredible true story of Paul Rusesabagina, the assistant manager of Milles Collines Hotel. By ingenuity, good connections, bribes and bluff, Paul managed to save the lives of 1238 Tutsis from the genocide.

The new Firearm Control Act (FCA) has been described as taking away the right to self-defence, infringing on property rights, rights of privacy, and other infringements of constitutional rights. Under the Firearm Control Act a firearm owner can be presumed guilty until he proves himself innocent. The FCA provides for search and seizure without a warrant, and extraordinary penalties for otherwise law-abiding citizens who may have infringed on the excessive demands of the FCA. Is self-defence a right or a privilege? The present South African government seems to think that self-defence is a privilege for the few, not a right of all.

Just before dawn on Wednesday 13 April, Hutu soldiers of the Presidential Guard kicked in the doors of a church east of Kigali. Inside were hundreds of Tutsi Christians huddled together in prayer.

The Hutu soldiers tossed handgrenades into the packed congregation and opened fire with machine guns. They then systematically slaughtered the survivors with machetes, spears, bats and bullets. Before the sun rose, about 1 200 Tutsi church goers had been massacred. Most of the dead were children.